Fahrenheit 451 Montag Character Analysis, Essay Example

Introduction

This paper is based on the character analysis of the main character of this novel i.e. ‘Guy Montag’. This novel is written by Ray Bradbury and this story is based on an ambiguous character named Montag. Montag is the character with a complex nature. The reason is that sometimes he is times cautious and is impulsive. These can be seen from the instances of the story and incidents like reciting recklessly the poetry to the visitors of his wife. In that incident he made Beatty angry but he did this in self-defense He did this stupidity on his wife’s confidence (Felix, 2014).  On the other side, we can see that he delayed Faber in and does that by giving the consideration of his case. In regards to Clarissa, he is also prudent. This can be seen in the story that he kept his books for many years as a secret. This example determines his cautious nature (Wien, 2012).

Montag has another characteristic that is of loyalty. It was because of his utmost loyalty to his friends that he was saved (Wien, 2012). He denied turning Faber in even though it was required to do so; he also torched Beatty but didn’t lead him to the house of Faber; He was the only person to have mourned on Clarissa’s death; he showed an enduring loyalty and patience to his pathetic wife even though she betrayed him (Felix, 2014).  We can see the character of Montag as a trustworthy, conflicted and a solid man who is willing to do the right thing no matter whatever is the cost. He gave up the earnings of his life to disseminate and publish books. He also cares for the safety and security of Faber. His attitude is more striking where callousness and social disassociation if the rule of the world (Felix, 2014).

Character Analysis of Montag

Montag is the protagonist of the story and is the central character. Throughout the story, we can see that he changes and grows steadily. By the end of the story, he becomes a completely different person. In the initial stage of the story, Montag is the one who bought in the system of totalitarian and he is a total conformist (Felix, 2014). He lives in this system without any question or thought. His wife name is Mildred and she is an insipid woman. She spends most of her time on the three sets of television and involves herself into music and night using sleeping pills. Her husband, Montag works in the government in the fire department. He is a fireman who burns the homes of those criminals which challenges to obtain books. He also sets loose the mechanical Hound to find these victims who challenges to seek knowledge. Montag usually enjoys his destructive and cruel work and is pleased by him. He is amused by watching and inflicting suffering (Wien, 2012). His colleagues also play masochistic games in which they set the animals loose and then order the Mechanical Hound to track them. Despite of getting the pleasures from his job, he is hungry to gain knowledge. So, when he is ordered to burn all the books in the criminal’s houses, he actually stole some of the books and hides them in his house. He is aware that this crime is punishable by death and is a serious offense (Felix, 2014).

Montag is the man that is struggling with two opposing voices that are running throughout the narrative thread. In one case, his employer Beatty orders him to burn the books regardless of the other’s misery and the library value. On the other side, we can see that Montag’s ears, hand are assaulted by the constant messages of Faber who urges him to disobey Beatty. These messages are contradictory as they portray the theme of the book. In the end of the story, we can see that Montag saves his friend Faber and torches Beatty (Felix, 2014).  Montag steals the book in the hope to improve the world to be a better place.

When Montag meet the 17 year old neighbor, Clarisse, he is amazed by her because of her open defiance and independent thinking of convention. She is exciting and fresh, uninterested in the trappings of the technology and the ultra-modern community. She also dares Montag when she asks his if he is pleased. When tackled with this query, Montag affirms that his life has no meaning. The more Montag thinks the more he gets dissatisfied. Clarissa is the once that has a positive influence on him and for this Montag poised for a change. He is ready for a new meaningful and a happy life (Feneja).Montag also shows his independent thoughts to his wife but she is unable to understand him. When Montag shows his wife one of the books that he stole, she is horrified with his courage. When his wife doesn’t understand him, he is involved in a total frustration and anger (Wien, 2012). He then meets his friend who is an English professor named Faber for advice and friendship. The two of them together devised a strategy and a plan to reintroduce to the society the books. Their plan is to cease the entire fireman because there will be no one to burn the books anymore (Fox). So, they plant a bomb in the firemen houses and the firehouses. In order to keep updated regarding this progress of the plan, they boost each other spirit. They communicate constantly by wall of a small 2way radio which was invented by Faber and plants it in the ear of Montag. Because of the changed behavior of Montag, the people get increasingly alarmed. Beatty also grows weary and suspicious that Montag might be hiding or stealing books instead of burning the books (Wien, 2012).

Beatty then sets the Mechanical Hound on Montag to find out the truth. This plan works and Montag is frightened and confess that he is stealing the books and not burning them. Mildred, the wife of Montag is concerned extremely regarding the risk that her husband has placed on herself. She dares to show the books to the neighbors’ friend, Clarissa. She is also frightened to continue. In the end of the story, Mildred reports Montag to the authorities and betrays her husband (Feneja). As an outcome of this, the house of Montag is ordered to be burnt down by the Firemen. Montag amazingly has the courage to see it burnt down. With the radio implanted on the ear of Montag, his friend Faber warns him to run but the feet of Montag are unable to be in motion. Montag sees Beatty and he knows that he must destroy him to if he has to survive. He fires his igniter and torches Beatty. He then tries to escape from the area but is tracked by the Mechanical Hounds. When Montag is captured, he combats bravely the Hounds and manages to evade but is injected by poison into his leg from the creature. Montag then hobbles his way to search for Faber, and stops and the house of Mrs. Black. She also reports him to the authorities. Montag then plants some of the books stolen into Mrs. Black’s kitchen and then she rings the alarm. This action greatly amuses him and he knows that he has gotten the revenge on the accuser. He also destroys the next fireman named Mr. Black (Fox).

Finally, with the help of determination and a careful planning, Montag manages to stay ahead of the improved and new Mechanical Hounds that are trying to hunt him down. Montag jumps into the floating downstream and into the river so that he can avoid the hounds or the helicopters. Montag then finally arrives at the forest and finds the exiles within (Fox). His baptized new life plunge him into the river and being dressed in clothes of Faber; Montag flees the wicked society which is supposed to suffer an annihilating a brief attack. The cataclysm forces him to experience the disjointed remembrance of his courtship earlier ten years. Once the leg of Montag is recovered, his humanity also returns. After the destruction of the city, the probable annihilation of his wife Mildred, Montag looks forward for a time where the people can flourish and prosper with the help of knowledge and books (Feneja). After this incident he then arrives at the house of Faber, gathers the group of exiled intellectual people who then gives him refuge. These exiled people welcome Montag and he shares the plan with them to save the books and the information withhold in the books. Montag is then given the book of Ecclesiastes which is a Biblical book to memorize (Felix, 2014).

Conclusion

At the end of the novel, we can see that the war has begun and the bomb planted by Montag destroys the city. The intellectuals watch from the distance the burning flames of destruction and are determined to go back and build a new society (Fox).  A society where new ideas and books are shared and people who are knowledgeable are welcomed eagerly. The character Montag is described by Bradbury using the symbol of fire. It is like what happens to a phoenix and the author resembles the traits of Montag to that of a phoenix. When the phoenix is burnt down in fire, it is reborn. Similar is the case with the protagonist that he is purified and reborn. Throughout the plot, we can see that Montag evolves from a conformist fireman, apathetic and a socially stagnant person to a new person filled with robust beliefs and ideals. In the end, Montag hopes for a positive and bright future and no longer is afraid of the present. In short, we can see Montag as a trustworthy, conflicted and a solid man who is willing to do the right thing no matter whatever is the cost. In the end, he gave up the earnings of his life to disseminate and publish books (Wien, 2012). He got a new purpose in life and found peace finally. He had to suffer a lot but he was determined to achieve what he aimed to and with his friend Faber he was successful in accomplishing his goals.

Work Cited

Felix, B. Aspects of cultural decay in Bradbury’s” Fahrenheit 451″. GRIN Verlag, 2014.

Feneja, Fernanda Luísa. “Prinethean Rebellion in Ray Bradbury’s” Fahrenheit 451″: The Protagonit’s Quest.” Amaltea. Revista de mitocrítica 4 (2012): 1-20.

Fox, David. Fahrenheit 451: The Burning of American Culture. Diss. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 2011.

Wien, Henriette. “Claiming mastery of the word: The power of discourse in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and George Orwell’s 1984.” (2012).